silent, but near its nest, a loud, plaintive whistle.
Habits: Only member of family. A successful species specialising wholly in catching live fish, often diving spectacularly into the water from a great height. Fishes in the sea, but also in freshwater sources. Avoids montaneous regions.
JERDON'S BAZA
Aviceda jerdoni 46 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Note broad wing shape and barring under wing and body. At rest, long wings and crest combined with rufous barring are diagnostic.
Voice: A soft, airy pee-weeow.
Habits: Occurs in primary forest and along forest edges. Seems to prefer low hills, although it has been recorded to 1,400 metres during migration. A low-density species, not often observed, although sometimes seen soaring low over the forest. Perches in large trees and pounces on small prey, mainly large insects, on the ground; some frogs and reptiles are also taken.
BLACK BAZA
Aviceda leuphotes 33 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Note diagnostic rounded wings and black band across breast. Long, thin crest visible when perched.
Voice: A soft, airy 1- to 3-noted scream.
Habits: Frequents open woodlands, often perching in large trees near clearings and villages. Gregarious during migration and forms scattered flocks in winter quarters. Flies low with flapping wings when hunting insects and small vertebrate prey; soars high when shifting location.
ORIENTAL HONEY-BUZZARD (Crested Honey-buzzard)
Pernis ptilorhynchus 50 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Plumage varies from dark brown to almost white; look instead for flight silhouette with diagnostic long neck and tail, small head and fairly long wings.
Voice: Silent during migration; a high-pitched call during breeding.
Habits: Occurs in all types of forested habitat, from submontane rainforest (residents) to open woodlands (migratory birds). Moves about singly, but will form flocks during peak migration. Has a unique preference for raiding beehives and feeding on the larvae inside.
BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE (Black-winged Kite)
Elanus caeruleus 30 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: A small, elegant raptor. Plumage and behaviour are unmistakable.
Voice: Short, soft whistle.
Habits: Frequents open woodlands, savanna and forest edges, where it sits on an exposed perch. Patrols the terrain, flying low with lifted wings or hovering low over the ground before dropping into the grass to catch insects and small vertebrate prey. The nest is built of sticks in a tree, at a height of 2 to 20 metres.
BLACK KITE
Milvus migrans 65 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Shape, large size and overall dark plumage are diagnostic. Tail is slightly forked when closed.
Voice: A rather faint, prolonged scream.
Habits: Frequents open country, often populated areas, villages and the outskirts of towns. Moves near the coast during migration. Feeds on all kinds of meat, both live prey and carrion, often scavenging at garbage dumps and fishing areas.
BRAHMINY KITE
Haliastur indus 45 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: A relatively small hawk; bright chestnut brown upperparts and black wing-tips are diagnostic. Immature bird is mottled brown.
Voice: A nasal, mewing call.
Habits: Usually a coastal bird found in mangroves, estuaries and harbour areas, but also occurs in wooded lowlands far from water. An opportunistic feeder. It takes all meats, often picking up debris from the water's surface or catching live fish. Also hunts small terrestrial prey. Its nest is built high in a large tree, often near water.
WHITE-BELLIED SEA-EAGLE (White-bellied Fish-Eagle)
Haliaeetus leucogaster 70 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Massive size, grey upperparts and V-shaped lifted wings when soaring are diagnostic; immature bird is brownish.
Voice: Loud, honking call used frequently around nesting site.
Habits: A coastal bird often found on offshore islands far from the mainland; also ventures up large rivers and to reservoirs some distance from the sea. Picks large fish out of the water in spectacular swoops without getting wet; also takes a variety of other prey and scavenges along the shoreline. The nest is a massive structure in a large tree or on an offshore rock.
GREY-HEADED FISH-EAGLE
Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus 68 cm F: Accipitridae
